1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to a magnetic tape sensing head cleaner.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
Magnetic tape sound reproduction equipment conventionally includes a metallic sensing head that senses recordings on magnetic tapes to generate an electric signal that reproduces sound. Such sensing heads must be cleaned after about every eight hours of use in order to maintain good fidelity. In order to provide such cleaning, cartridges or cassettes having continuous cleaning loops instead of magnetic tapes are mounted on the equipment adjacent the sensing head and operated in the same way a tape cartridge or cassette is operated to provide a cleaning movement of the loop over the head. Cleaning fluid is preferably applied to the cleaning loop before use to enhance its cleaning action. After some period of use, the cleaning loop becomes dirty and/or becomes worn so as to no longer be usable. Since housing members of the cartridge or cassette that receives the cleaning loop are conventionally secured to each other permanently, the whole cleaning unit must then be thrown away and another purchased.
Maintenance cleaning of magnetic tape sound reproduction must also be performed every month or so regardless of the amount of use to remove atmospheric contaminants that settle on the equipment such as dust, and other grit and accumulation. Such cleaning usually requires brushing of the area around the sensing head as well as cleaning thereof by a probe felt tip dampened with cleaning fluid. Many tape sound systems are portable or utilized with vehicles such that organization of the cleaning materials, i.e., a brush, a probe, probe tips, and a cleaning fluid bottle, etc., is very important if the required cleaning is to be performed on a regular schedule.